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A Project Manager's Role in Change Management
A Project Manager's Role in Change Management
In this lesson, you’re learning about how to support the change management process for
your project. To review, change management is the process of delivering your completed
project and getting other people in the organization to adopt it. In this reading, we will
discuss strategies for approaching change management as a project manager.
Your project’s success depends on the adoption and acceptance of your project—whether
that entails the launch of a new external tool or a process that will change operations at a
production facility. In both cases, the greatest impact of the change will be on the people
who use and interact with the product or process that is changing.
For example, if your website’s user interface changes, the major impact of that change
affects the user. The user must learn how the website has been reorganized and adapt to
the new way to navigate it. If part of the website’s interface update includes a new brand
logo, the major impact of that change impacts your organization’s employees. They must
be made aware of the new logo and measures must be taken to ensure that all company
communications include the new logo, not the old one.
You can help ensure your project’s success by embracing changes as they come and by
convincing the wider audience, whether that is the end user or members of the
organization, to embrace changes, too. When you implement a careful approach to
change management, you can address issues that might occur in the later stages of your
project.
As a project manager, you can think of change management as necessary for the
successful outcome of your project. Both change management and project management
aim to increase the likelihood of project success. They also incorporate tools and
processes to accomplish that goal. The most effective way to achieve a project goal is to
integrate project management and change management, and it is your responsibility as a
project manager to do so.
When you are thinking about change management as it relates to your project, begin by
asking yourself the following questions:
Let’s look at some best practices for approaching change management on your projects:
Be proactive. Proactive and inclusive change management planning can help keep any
potentially impacted stakeholders aware of the upcoming changes.
Practice empathy. Changes are inevitable, but we are often resistant to them. By being
empathetic to the challenges and anxiety change can bring, you can support the process
in subtle ways.
Use tools. Incorporating tools to assist in the adoption of a change can be very helpful.
Here are a few examples you can use on your next project:
For more on how to participate in the change management process, check out the
following resources: